Innovative and popular games often find themselves imitated, creating what are essentially subgenres based on their gameplay mechanics in the process. This has happened with Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise, which has inspired countless Zelda clones over the years, and it's also happened with FromSoftware's Dark Souls games as well, with many similar games being described as Soulslike.

There are legions of fans who hold both The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls in high regard, so it's no surprise that developers have tried to marry concepts from the two franchises together. These attempts have had mixed results, but it would be hard to find a game that blends Zelda and Dark Souls together better than Death's Door, a recently-released indie game from developer Acid Nerve that has earned widespread critical acclaim.

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Death's Door reviews have been highly positive since the game's launch on July 20, and for good reason. It plays like an old-school, Link to the Past-style Zelda game for the most part, but blends that gameplay with elements that one would associate with the Dark Souls series. The result is the perfect combination of the two franchises, and a game that should appeal greatly to both Zelda and Dark Souls fans alike.

Why Zelda Fans Should Play Death's Door

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Death's Door uses a isometric camera, but it still essentially plays like a top-down Zelda similar to A Link to the Past. And like Zelda games, Death's Door has players collecting upgrades, finding new tools, completing puzzles, and conquering dungeons. The basic gameplay loop is practically identical to Zelda, with players able to freely explore the overworld but finding certain areas inaccessible until they've acquired new equipment.

Anyone that enjoys Zelda's sense of exploration or progression will likely come away very impressed by Death's Door, which manages to nail the classic Zelda formula. It's easily one of the better Zelda clones currently available, and so fans of Nintendo's franchise shouldn't think twice about picking it up.

Why Dark Souls Fans Should Play Death's Door

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Aesthetically, Death's Door isn't really like The Legend of Zelda at all. While Nintendo has explored darker themes in its Zelda games, it has mostly stuck to a colorful, fantasy art style. Death's Door uses somber, dark tones, as players take on the role of a reaper crow whose purpose is to reap souls for the afterlife. In terms of art style, Death's Door definitely has a lot more in common with Dark Souls than it does Zelda.

Death's Door also feels more like a Dark Souls game when it comes to its boss fights. The boss battles aren't so difficult that players will find themselves rage quitting, but they are far more challenging than the battles in most Zelda games. Death's Door upgrades can be used to make these boss fights a little easier, but there's still a healthy challenge to be found here that seems to be inspired by the way Dark Souls handles its boss battles.

Not to mention that players are literally collecting souls in Death's Door that are then used to purchase upgrades, just like the Dark Souls series. One way that Death's Door differs from Dark Souls, though, is that players don't have to worry about losing their souls if they die. It's far more forgiving, while still providing a decent challenge with its bosses if players are looking for something to test their skills.

Zelda fan or Dark Souls fan, there's a lot to like about Death's Door. It's one of the highest-rated games of 2021 for good reason, so fans of these kinds of games shouldn't miss out.

Death's Door is out now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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